


A side of snow, a bigger fire (remix)

by Bill_Longbow



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternative Universe - Early Retirement, Don't copy to another site, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of PTSD, POV Bucky Barnes, Remix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-01
Updated: 2019-09-01
Packaged: 2020-10-05 01:01:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20480375
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bill_Longbow/pseuds/Bill_Longbow
Summary: Bucky watches his lovers outside in the snow, and can't believe how lucky he got.





	A side of snow, a bigger fire (remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HogwartsToAlexandria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/gifts).
  * Inspired by [A side of snow; a bigger fire](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18361331) by [HogwartsToAlexandria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HogwartsToAlexandria/pseuds/HogwartsToAlexandria). 

> The most daunting of the three fics I picked to remix, because I liked the original so much. Go read it first. Go on. And then come back to see if I did a good job of weaving Bucky into it.
> 
> A big, big thank you to [Betheflame](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Betheflame/) who is a wonderful cheerreader (and writes good stories so go check out their AO3)!

Bucky stares out of the window, every once in a while wiping away the fog his breath creates with a hand covered by a too-long sleeve. 

He can't decide who to look at. At Tony who turned into a little kid the moment the snowflakes started to fall, all gleaming eyes and wide grin, frolicking in the snow. Or at Steve, who is beautiful and soft, looking at their lover, their husband in all but name. 

It's only because Bucky knows Steve so well that he sees something's off. It's in the line of Steve's shoulders that tells Bucky he's too tense, his breaths too short. It reminds Bucky of night long vigils, breathing deep and steady to give an example to Stevie’s sensitive lungs.

He sees the moment Tony notices it too. His expression going from glee to concerned to soft in a matter of seconds as he waits for Steve to slowly walk towards him.

Bucky’s glad he doesn’t have to intervene, that he can stay outside of their little bubble of trust and be a spectator. Cold gets to him like no other triggers can, and who would think Bucky bowing out of a winter’s activity would give Steve the opportunity to do the same never met Steven Grant Rogers. Not backing down from anything, especially not his own fears.

_ Punk, _ Bucky scoffs inwardly, watching Steve’s slow trek across the back yard. 

One second Steve is standing close enough for Tony to touch, the next he drops half out of view and flat on his ass. 

Bucky can’t hear Tony’s laugh, but he knows the sound by heart and it’s easy to imagine the throaty chuckle accompanying his face scrunching up in mirth. It loosens the tension that started to built in Bucky's gut. He would run out there in a heartbeat if they needed him, but it would cost him. 

Steve isn’t okay, yet, even from this distance Bucky can see how his fingers tremble as he reaches to brush through Tony’s hair, but Bucky's knows he will be. The look Tony gives Steve is too knowing, too wrought with care to allow him to stay outside for much longer. 

Bucky turns his back on the scene to allow his lovers their moment of intimacy and starts preparing hot chocolate. This is his role in their relationship: the caretaker. The quiet middle ground between Steve’s passion and Tony’s zest. The one to pull the others back from soaring too high, either in anger or enthusiasm; and the one to kick their ass back into gear when they’re too hard on themselves.

He’ll have blankets ready when they come back, dry clothes on the heater, quietly making sure their lives are better than just good. 

Soon, the pair tumble back through the door and Tony maneuvers Steve into the chair closest to the heater. He and Bucky exchange a look -  _ he’s an idiot but he’s our idiot _ \- and busy themselves with warming him up.

Today it’s Steve who needs a little bit of extra care. Tomorrow it will be Bucky or Tony. Or maybe it’ll be a good day where none of them suffer from nightmares or panic or low self esteem. Those are getting increasingly more numerous the longer their retirement lasts, and it’s so easy on those days to pretend that they’re normal. 

It doesn’t matter either way. He’s trying, they’re all are. And as Bucky shares a look with both his lovers he smiles. 

They’re home.

**Author's Note:**

> Come say hi on [Tumblr](http://bill-longbow.tumblr.com) or join us on the 16+ [ Stuckony discord server ](https://discord.gg/jtXcc3n) for all things Tony, Bucky and Steve!


End file.
